Doctor's husband/business manager ordered to post $1 million bond

The husband of a Springfield allergist will have to post $1 million bond and abide by strict rules in order to be freed from jail on federal fraud charges.

Jayette Bolinski

The husband of a Springfield allergist will have to post $1 million bond and abide by strict rules in order to be freed from jail on federal fraud charges.

Attorneys for Rickey E. Weir, 60, and the U.S. government on Monday negotiated the conditions for the release of Weir, who is accused of making arrangements to flee the country. Prosecutors think Weir might have stashed as much as $1 million in preparation for possibly slipping out of the U.S. to Nigeria.

He was indicted earlier this month on allegations of mail fraud and healthcare fraud for allegedly bilking patients and federal and private health insurance providers out of at least $800,000 between 1997 and March 2007.

Weir was the office business manager for his wife, Dr. Janet Despot, and her medical practice, Cardinal Respiratory.

Despot on Monday filed for divorce. The couple has three young children.

Despot was charged with a misdemeanor count of illegal “balance billing” – billing patients more than allowed – of Medicare patients and has agreed to plead guilty.

Neither Despot nor Weir was arrested after being charged. However, authorities learned that Weir had been making arrangements to have a vehicle shipped to Nigeria for his use, and he was arrested Thursday.

A document filed in federal court Monday indicates Weir also has been making overseas money transfers. An FBI financial analyst reviewed Weir’s bank records and learned that he had been making local and international wire transfers starting when he first was confronted with evidence against him in May and continuing until his arrest last week.

“Specifically, bank records and ‘suspicious activity reports’ filed by financial institutions indicate that Weir has transferred over $300,000 to Nigeria, London and Taiwan,” the document reads. “Importantly, bank records show that Weir likely is in possession of a great deal of liquid assets.”

On Sept. 12 Weir obtained a $460,000 cashier’s check payable to himself, which included $180,000 transferred by him from National City Bank the same day.

“It is unknown where any of these funds are currently held, potentially leaving the defendant with nearly $1,000,000 at his immediate disposal should he flee the country.”

An FBI special agent notified Weir on June 6 that he might be the victim of a fraud and that he should discontinue his money transfers to Nigeria. According to the court document, Weir ignored the warning and since has sent about $100,000 to various beneficiaries in Nigeria.

He also bought a $27,000 Nissan Murano and arranged to have it shipped from Springfield to Lagos, Nigeria, on Sept. 25. He allegedly indicated to the sellers that he wanted it in Africa when he arrived.

Saying he was going to take a risk on Weir, U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Evans agreed that Weir could bond out of jail, pending the outcome of his case.

Weir first must post $1 million cash bail. If and when he does, he will be confined to his home and wear an ankle bracelet that allows his whereabouts to be monitored round the clock. He must surrender his passport and make sure there are no guns in his home.

Weir will be subject to announced and unannounced visits by probation officers. He can drive a designated vehicle to and from doctor’s visits, but FBI agents will fit the vehicle with a Global Positioning System so his movements can be monitored.

Weir also will not be allowed to make any international contacts or transactions. He can have one hard-wired phone in his house that will be subject to electronic monitoring and he will be barred from using cell phones or the Internet.

He also is not to contact any witnesses in the case against him. Any violation will result in Weir being returned to jail, prosecutors said.

“Basically, your honor, it’s his last chance,” said assistant U.S. attorney Patrick Hansen.